April 30, 2012

Hello!!! :)

First of all, it sounds like you're having so much fun, mom!!! I hope you have a great rest of the stay here in Utah! :) The weather is so great!!!
Second off, I have TWO MORE WEEKS until I'll be off for Hong Kong!! :))
Sounds like Sarah will have so much fun in CA! (Keep goin strong buddy) ;) I hope the move goes well!!
Reid! How does it make you feel that you are 1/4(?) way done with Med School?! That's so exciting!
Thanks for the email Ashley! I loved it! I'm excited to be able to speak to Salem in Chinese...but really though. ;) (still not kidding. very excited.) As for how to approach that? I'm not sure. I'm assuming you'll be teaching her Mandarin? I'm sure there are some great grammar books at the library or even tapes at the library for Mandarin! (I found a couple Cantonese tapes at the Corona Library) As for writing, I'm sure there are some little workbooks that teach how to do the strokes and what not. Good luck with that exciting adventure!! :)
Seriously, Kristin?! 3.8?! Holy cow, definitely a better student than I was. Good job, Kristin!! I'm so proud of you! You're such an awesome person and keep being a great missionary!!!!
Cole. Gotta love that boy. Is he still doing karate??
Emma's walking to school by herself?! :( I don't want her to grow up. I hope she's doing better. I'll pray for her even more, and for her doctors and you all to be able to find out what is causing her seizures. What a little trooper!

I love you all so much. So much. I'm glad you're all doing well. How's dad doing? I haven't heard from him in a while.

Well, I'd like to bear testimony on the Atonement. The enabling power of the Atonement, more specifically. When Christ suffered in Gethsemane, he felt everything that we felt. He felt every challenge in our life. Everything, we have felt and will feel. Because of His suffering not only for our sins, but also of our challenges, we can not only be cleansed from sin through Him, but we can also gain strength through Him. As we pray, we can ask for strength in how to overcome our challenges. We can pray for strength TO overcome our challenges. In our Savior we can gain strength that we can not obtain within our own capacity. The Savior is right there for us. If you are feeling down, upset, angry, confused, or even to the point where you want to give up, Christ is there. Just ask God, and through our Savior we can gain strength.
Sister Castillo sent me an excellent article in the Ensign on the enabling power of the Atonement by Elder Bednar. I really recommend it because it really has helped me, and I know that it will help you. I can't really think of the name quite yet, but I hope you all are able to read it. It is so powerful, and so helpful. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that through faith in Him and His Atonement, we can gain hope. Hope in this life is so important. It helps us be guided through our trials. Without one of the other (faith or hope) you won't have either.
I love you all so much. Rely on the Savior, He will help you.
Love,
Elder Johnson :)